Property Rights
ESSENTIAL TO PROTECTING ALL OTHER RIGHTS.
Key Issues
Why Property Rights Matter
Why Care About Property Rights?
There is a Fundamental Connection Between Land and Liberty. If the government owns the land and natural resource wealth, they control the people. But if the citizens own the land, we control the government.
As the United States was settled the land was distributed to the citizens. The land was not to be owned by the government as was the practice of other nations. In those countries the people have limited freedoms and opportunity to improve their status and wellbeing.
Our founders established a nation governed by the people, where human ingenuity would flourish and every citizen had equal opportunity to obtain their American dream. This meant the citizens would own the natural resources so that they had the means to create their own destiny, protect their rights, and limit government’s power.
The 30×30 Timeline in America
How it Started
August 2019
The progressive socialist organization, Center for American Progress (CAP), releases the report, “How Much Nature Should America Keep?” (CAP Report). This report provides the talking points and direction to policy makers and environmental organizations on how to implement the international goal of 30×30 in America where most of the land is owned by the people, and property rights are protected.
In this report they make the following claims that we see repeated in key documents from proponents of 30×30. These include:
- 1/3 of species in US will go extinct, unless we implement 30×30;
- We are losing a football field of habitat every 30 seconds;
- 2/3 of the conversion of natural lands to development is occurring on private lands, but only 1% of these lands are permanently protected;
- As of 2019, only 12% of total land in US is permanently protected, leaving another 18% to achieve by 2030;
- The lands targeted for preservation must be areas of high biodiversity and productivity;
- Promise landowners they will honor property rights and help working landowners do more to avert a climate crisis.
The Early Stages
September 2019
A 30×30 resolution using the narrative in the CAP report is filed in the House and the Senate. It is co-sponsored in the Senate by Kamala Harris (currently Vice President of the U.S.) & introduced in the House by Representative Debra Haaland (currently Secretary of the Department of the Interior).
Read the Senate Resolution 372
June 2020
House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis issues the report, “Solving the Climate Crisis,” that includes specific policy recommendations to implement 30×30 in America. Some of these include:
- Increase Wilderness Areas;
- Increase Wild and Scenic River designations;
- Increase National Monuments;
- Purchase private lands through the Land and Water Conservation Fund;
- Increase funding for Conservation Easements in Perpetuity on private lands;
- Increase conservation programs and tie funding to mitigate climate change and agriculture production;
- Designate Wildlife Corridors;
- Revise laws governing the Federal Lands to prioritize mitigating climate change instead of Multiple-Use and Sustained Yield.
Read the House Report (begins on page 428)
January 26, 2021 (1 day before implementation)
Environmental Groups Release Media Blitz of Support for 30×30
Every major environmental group in America releases a statement of support for 30×30, parroting the talking points developed in the CAP Report. The League of Conservation Voters circulated a letter signed by 70 of America’s Mayors and 450 elected officials to Congressional leaders pushing for legislation advancing 30×30.
Read the League of Conservation Voters Letter
January 27, 2021
Biden Signs Climate Crisis EO
Six days after being inaugurated as President of the United States, Biden signs Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” Section 216 launches 30 x 30 directing four departments to create an implementation plan “to achieve the goal of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030.”
First Actions Launching 30x30
February 11, 2021
Acting Secretary for DOI issues Sec. Order 3396, which rescinds 3388 that required the consent of states and local governments for federal land acquisitions. Congress is required to place $900 million annually into this fund.
Read Biden Admin Sec. Order 3396
Read rescinded Trump Admin Sec. Order 3396
February 26, 2021
House passes H.R. 803 four days after being heard in the Rules Committee, not the Natural Resource Committee, which has jurisdiction. It creates 1.5 million acres of Wilderness, withdrawing 1.2 million acres of rare earth minerals and other permanent land protections. The White House pushed for the passage in order to help reach the 30 x 30 goal.
American's Fight Back
February 16, 2021
Garfield County, Colorado passed the first resolution to oppose 30 x 30 just three weeks after the President launched the 30 x 30 initiative. Local governments across the nation have followed suit, sending a strong message to the Administration that 30 x 30 is not a locally driven initiative — it is rejected by local governments and the people they serve. Over 150 Counties have passed the Resolution.
April 21, 2021
Fifteen Governors signed a joint letter noticing President Biden that section 216 of the Climate Crisis Executive Order (14008), to conserve 30 percent of America’s lands by 2030, “infringes on the sovereignty of the states and rights of the citizens.”
Led by Nebraska’s Pete Ricketts, who was the first Governor to oppose 30 x 30, the letter was signed by the Governors of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.
Additionally, the Attorney Generals for Kansas and Nebraska sent the Biden Administration a similar letter opposing the program.
The Rebranding of 30x30
May 6, 2021
The Biden Administration’s releases the implementation plan for 30 x 30. It calls on American’s to conserve and restore our lands, without providing transparency or substantive details.
It claims the program is not about “protecting” the lands, but instead is to “conserve and restore” the lands; yet the Administration fails to define the difference.
It fails to identify clearly the lands that will be included, even though the Administration’s early action and statements makes this clear.
It is a marketing plan to rebrand the 30 x 30 land grab into something they hope Americans will accept and support.
Terminating 30x30
May 11, 2021
Representative Boebert and 22 of her Colleagues filed the “30 x 30 Termination Act.” This bill prohibits federal funds from being spent to carry out the program, ensures no net-loss of non-federal land in counties and states that already have a significant federal presence, ensures no net-loss of multiple-use activities without Congressional approval, and prohibits unilateral mineral withdrawals without Congressional approval. (Background)
Also, a companion bill was filed in the Senate led by U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS) and Kevin Cramer (ND). The Senate 30 X 30 TERMINATION ACT, blocks the Biden Administration’s 30 x 30 directive to conserve at least 30% of our private lands and waters by 2030. The legislation prevents a number of invasive actions on public and private land in the name of conservation and ensures 30 x 30 is stopped dead in its tracks.
Gov Ricketts Signs EO
June 24, 2021
Governor Pete Ricketts took unprecedented action and signed the “Stop 30 x 30 – Protect our Land and Water,” Executive Order 21-08.
The Biden Administration Failure to Define “Conservation”
Since President Biden signed Executive Order 14008, on January 27, 2021, where he initiated 30×30, the administration has been asked to define one word, which they have refused to do. The 30×30 initiative directs that at least 30 percent of the nation’s lands and waters need to be “conserved” by 2030. However, they refuse to define what is meant by “conserve.”
Help Us Fight the Radical Environmental initiative
Their goal… to permanently ‘protect’ 30 percent of our Nation’s land and oceans by 2030, by signing an open letter to President Biden to rescind the 30×30 program.
Learn More About the Agenda
The Heritage Foundation released a report March 4, 2022 by Rob Gordon entitled “Lands and Habitat in the United States: A Reality Check.” This report debunks many of the 30 x 30 myths environmentalists are using to support their agenda.
30×30 Resources
Liberty Matters
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30×30 Guide
This is a quick summary of the key facts.
IN THE KNOW
Here are the 10 key talking points for you to know.
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Property Rights in The News
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